Walnut and Lentil Bolognese

• servings: 8 servings
• total time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup grated carrots, (from about 3 medium carrots)

1 cup minced celery, (from about 3 ribs)

1 cup finely minced yellow onion (from 1 medium onion)

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed

1 quart vegetable stock or broth

1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce

1 cup red wine, such as Pinot Noir

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

1 pound cooked pappardelle or tagliatelle, for serving

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat

Once the oil is glistening, add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more

Stir in the walnuts, lentils, stock, marinara, wine, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, pepper, and salt, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and the lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.Transfer 2 cups of the sauce to the base of a blender, let cool briefly, and blend until nearly smooth

Return the sauce to the pan and stir to combine

(Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce to your desired consistency directly in the pan; it should still have some texture to it.) Taste and season with salt as needed.Divide the cooked pasta between bowls and top with the bolognese

Top with parmesan, if using, and serve

Nutrition

• Calories: 320
• Total Fat: 19 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 344 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 23 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7 g
• Total Sugars: 7 g
• Protein: 10 g